Aamir Khan said Indian films don’t get nominations because those from Iran, Germany, France “are very good”. He added that to “get nominated is a huge deal”.Actor Aamir Khan has spoken about why Indian films aren’t nominated at the Oscars in the Best International Feature category. During an interview with BBC Asian Network, Aamir was told what actor Shah Rukh Khan’s response to the same question was, and the former disagreed. No film since Aamir’s 2001 blockbuster Lagaan has been nominated at the Oscars in the international film category.
Aamir spoke about the process of getting an Oscar nomination and how that itself is difficult. He said, “People forget that’s probably the toughest category at the Oscars. Because when you’re competing for Best Film, you’re competing with a limited number of films. But in the Best International Feature category, you’re actually competing with the best film from each country…And then you’re in an arena where there are 80 other films. And to be nominated among 80 films is itself tough. The reason why we don’t have nominations every year for India is because there are films from Iran, Germany, France, from all over the world which are very good films. You’re in very good company. To get nominated is a huge deal.”
Aamir was then told what Shah Rukh Khan had said about the reason. In an old interview, Shah Rukh said that Lagaan was a “combination of an art and commercial film together” and called it “a wonderfully made film”. The actor said that Indian films have to “change the format of our films”. Shah Rukh had also said “if I’m invited to your party, I need to dress up in the code you tell me to. I cannot be wearing my code of two and a half hours and five songs. We have to change that”.
Reacting to it, Aamir said in the new interview, “No, I don’t agree. I don’t agree. Because Lagaan was three hours and 42 minutes. And it had six songs. And it got nominated. To get nominated, the members really have to love your film. Lagaan proves that a film with songs, which is also very long, is not a problem for the Academy members. According to me, it depends on how good your work is, and how you’re able to touch hearts. Members are also human beings at the end of the day. You have to accept that other countries are also making equally good films.”
In Indian history, only three films–Mother India, Salaam Bombay, and Lagaan have been nominated in the International Feature category. In the recent times, RRR won the Best Original Song and Elephant Whisperers won the Best Documentary Short. Writing with Fire and All that Breathes got nods in the Best Documentary Feature category.
Lagaan (2001) is an epic period sports drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film starred Aamir, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne. The film follows the residents of an Indian village who are challenged by an arrogant British Indian Army officer to a game of cricket. Already burdened by high taxes and several years of drought, they play as the officer tells them that it’s a wager to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
